


Blood in the Cut

by Tokoshui



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms
Genre: Canon Typical Violence, Cheating, Gore warning, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Nothing is easy for Glenn Rhee, and Daryl Dixon, canon typical gore, preestablished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tokoshui/pseuds/Tokoshui
Summary: Glenn thought Daryl was different.Daryl proved Glenn wrong.Or at least he hoped he did.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Glenn Rhee
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

Glenn fell in love easily, he had tried to not fall completely many times, but somehow trying to resist made him fall harder every time. Everytime he fell he had gotten hurt because he was just some straight guys experiment which the first couple times in highschool had been fine it got old fast, but then he moved to Atlanta, a new queer scene, new people, a fresh start. It didn’t work out like he had hoped it would have, found he fell for a whole new type of people. Upgraded from confused but curious straight boys to gay fuckboys. Fuckboys who would string him along, make him feel safe and secured only to cheat on him with some femboy or someone that wasn’t simply him. Sometimes someone more gay or less gay, or someone more manly, more feminie.  
It was like he could never win. He swore off love once and for all. No longer going to the flashy and fun gay bars he liked, never showed his face where he met his prior cheating exs instead favoring local bars with sticky floors and questionable pool equipment. Where everyone was as straight as straight can be. He of course would fall head over heels, but it never lasted long. He wasn’t happy, but he wasn’t not happy either. He was content with his newfound scene.  
Felt eerily like his highschool experience, but he would never be cheated on again with anyone who had deemed he wasn’t good enough.  
But then Daryl came with his short light brown messy hair, dark brown eyes with long eyelashes that reached towards the heavens, His strong taunt muscles just below a tight shirt and scruff littered his face. Although the confederate flag patch crudely sewn onto his jacket told him everything he needed to know seeing him for the first time. Still he couldn’t help but not to follow the siren’s call.  
It took work and a lot of compromise, but it wasn’t long before Daryl was moving into Glenn’s apartment. Merging their stuff, redecorating and a lot of kisses. Certain that Daryl was different than everyone who had come before him.  
Glenn remembers that day very well, not the day of the apocalypse although that is another tale he does remember, in high definition.  
He had woken up before Daryl, as he usually did every morning, but especially after sex, the light had started to spill into their bedroom and Glenn traced every edge and curve of Daryl’s hard body draped in a thin sheet to try and keep out the heat. He had waddled into the kitchen and made breakfast for them both. Something as sweet as Daryl could handle and something as ‘American’ as Glenn could handle. They ate, took a shower together and it was off for Glenn to head to work. It wasn’t glamorous , but it helped pay the bills. Who knew that knowing Atlanta like the back of his hand would pay off one day, he still wished it hadn’t though. But it had been a long day, a lot of Karen’s had ripped him anew throughout his shift.  
He had been looking forward to coming back to Daryl, to be wrapped up in his arms while Glenn took his turn making dinner, to just talk to him. He had heard loud moaning coming from his apartment as he was looking for his key. He checked to make sure that the apartment building was correct, it was. He pushed open the front door. He could smell sex from a mile away even faintly standing in the doorway. Glenn felt as if he was out of his body as he quietly walked through the apartment towards the bedroom, the noise getting louder as he got closer.  
He opened the bedroom door. He saw a big chested woman, blonde hair, blue eyes and a big bubble butt that sheathed Daryl’s cock to the base as she rode on top of him. The same way that Glenn had just twelve hours ago, grabbing at the same hair that he had. Darly groping her tits. Glenn didn’t say anything as he moved through the bedroom, pulling his suitcase from the closet.  
“Daryl, you feel so fucking good.” She moaned, not realizing that Glenn was in the room. He flinched at her voice. He tried to ignore them as he stuffed his clothes and possessions that he absolutely could not leave behind. He would be back for his other things later, when Daryl went to work. He paused at the bedroom door, curious if Daryl had even noticed Glenn. He was met with dark brown eyes that locked with his own and had the audacity to smile widely at him. The woman above him screamed out as she orgasimed and came all over Daryl’s spent dick as his semen had filled her up and was dripping out. Glenn felt sick. He didn’t say another word as he left. Glenn wished he could cry over it, but he had his heart broken in a similar manner too many times. But he had never seen it. Glenn left and Daryl let him without a word.  
Glenn didn’t see him after that. Wouldn’t have picked up if Daryl had bothered to text or call. He never did. Daryl didn’t need to say anything, Glenn already heard everything that Daryl had said. Loud and Clear.  
He avoided their street, avoided all bars and social events. Glenn was done. Maybe he should move to a small town far far away.He didn’t want to see Daryl if he could help it and apparently he could help because he didn’t see him for close to half a year.  
Fate had other plans for them, because he saw him and his brother in the small makeshift, rag tag survivor team. He had immediately volunteered to go on runs. It made sense, he knew every street, alley and shortcut. And it was an excuse to get out of the camp. Their group was much smaller than Atlanta and though the Dixons were pretty good at keeping to themselves, however there were a couple of times that Glenn had almost bumped into Daryl and once when he bumped into Merle.  
Merle had grasped his shirt tightly.  
“You thought you could fucking make my brother a faggot huh?” Merle said, spitting in Glenn’s eye as he spoke. “I’m not afraid to use you for zombie food. Understood.” Glenn had nodded dumbly as Merle dropped him to the ground.  
Glenn was almost happy to leave Merle on the roof, chained up. Wondered how much that had hurt Daryl though, it was messed up to think that those two things had equaled out in any sort of sense-but maybe it did because Merle was still alive. Or could be still alive because they hadn’t found his body and his hand was cut clean off. That did make Glenn want to throw up a bit.  
When Glenn had reflected on the past seven months it really was insane how much had happened and he hadn’t had a sip of alcohol the entire time. Which was surprising-even though if he were being honest, he didn’t really touch the stuff before the apocalypse, sure a drink or two every so often when he visited his clubs, but never too much.  
“I want to see how red you can get.” It was one of the first things that Daryl had said directly to him in months. It caught Glenn by surprise, but more surprising was how much he had found himself missing the sound of Daryl’s voice and Daryl in general. He wanted to crack, he really did, but every time he made eye contact with Daryl all he could remember was the woman riding Daryl making the headboard clack against the wall and Glenn would feel sick again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never see people write Daryl's reaction to Glenn being live bait.

Nothing feels real anymore. That scares Glenn because the last time things didn’t feel real was when his parents divorced in his freshman year of highschool and he had gotten relocated to a highschool and a whole coast over and he damn near didn’t make it. It doesn’t help that Sofia is missing. That she just wandered off like that, seemed surreal to him. He feels guilty, he really does. He is glad that he doesn’t get to see Daryl around camp anymore because he is trying to find Sofia, returning her safe to Carol. He sees Carol worrying about Sofia, almost completely beyond functional. And he can empathize with her. He feels bad for her. Glenn is tired of feeling bad. Especially when nothing is right with the world.  
He’s not blind, he sees the way that Maggie looks at him when she thinks he’s not looking, makes him a little uncomfortable. She looks like a smart version of Daryl’s type. He needs to stop thinking. At least about Daryl. It’s not healthy.  
He takes a breath. Everything is fine. They are on a farm, Sophia is missing but the best damn hunter is tracking her down, they have food, drinking water and everyone is alive.  
Everything is fine until it’s not. There’s a walker in the well. The well that everyone has been drinking from, he feels like he is going to be sick at that fact. Although there might be a good chance that the water hasn’t been contaminated. The need to get it out and it won’t take the fucking rock. Somehow he knows what’s going to happen before it is even suggested. Live bait. Meaning him. Always him. At least that is what it always seems. Sometimes he would think he was cursed, that any good luck in life he had received he would get it back tenfold as bad luck. He doesn’t think that anymore, because well he knows it’s true now, that he is cursed.  
He feels Shane’s hands on his body as he secures the rope with strong hands, and couldn't help but notice his shaved head.  
“Have I ever mentioned that I like your new haircut? You got a nice shaven head.” He can hear himself say, he is getting kind of really nervous about it. He wonders if he could get away with touching it. He never thought of it before but Shane reminds him of an old boyfriend that he used to have once upon a time. He wondered if he was still okay, it was weird cause it had been years and the terms they had separated on were not good one bit. But still he wondered if nothing else because it distracted him from the gurgling going down on the well and it surprised him but Shane does make him feel a little better when he pats his back roughly. Says he’ll be fine and he almost believes him. Almost. Because as he is getting lowered down in choppy segments he hears something metal break and he thinks that he’s going to meet his maker. Not yet because they are able to keep him from being face to face with the bloated geek. He takes the rope and secures it around the walker’s neck. It will have to do what, he wishes he could do better but it’s grabbing him and he doesn’t want to die. He yells and begs for them to get him out of there. While it is just a few minutes to Glenn it feels like years. He gets pulled up and scrambles out of the well. He can’t believe he’s still alive. They work together to pull the geek out of the well. Things go well until Glenn’s bad luck rolls in. The walker gets caught on the lip of the well, gets torn in half. He’d figured that in a millisecond they did more harm than good because now that water for sure is contaminated. Shane pats his shoulder while he passes to help seal the well.  
Maggie yells at him in private and he feels like he is getting yelled at by his parents and it doesn't cut him like he supposes it should.  
He helps on the farm whenever he can. He goes with Maggie into town just like in Atlanta while he’s lucky to have a guide he’s not straight or even bi and Maggie wants to do things he only does with guys. It’s awkward but she eventually speaks up about his unwillingness.  
“Is it Shane?” She asks and it makes him want to laugh. That’s what breaks the awkward between them and conversation flows between pretty easily. She’s a good friend.  
He knows they are going to have to move on but he doesn’t want to leave the farm. Things are once again fine.  
Until Daryl finds Sophia and Shane opens the barn. They mow down the walkers Sophia and all. Carol breaks down, Hershel, Shane and Rick are arguing, everyone pairs and sections off and he’s left behind. He goes back to his own tent. Still not believing what had happened.  
He wishes that he had someone to hold him, like how Lori has both Shane and Rick. It's not fair, but when has anything been fair, even in a world not riddled with the dead undead, he still catches himself longing for warmth pressed against him. Surprisingly it’s easy for everyone but Carol to move on.  
Glenn doesn't blame her, they have all seen this fucked up world and the new inhabitants but Sophia was Carol's daughter. He had never lost a child so he could never begin to understand that kind of pain. A couple days pass and Glenn is confronted by Daryl in the stables. It’s unexpected and sudden and Glenn tries to ignore him. “How fucking stupid are you?” Glenn looks dumbly at him. He’s confused.  
Daryl hasn't spoken a word to him since the CDC and they all know how well that turned out. “This isn’t some fucking game. This isn’t Portals dumbass. You don’t have extra lives, you get one and then game over. You are worth more than live fucking bait.” Daryl gets close to him until they are chest to chest.  
Glenn can feel the heat and pure anger radiating off of Daryl. “Why do you care?” He asks, because on all accounts he shouldn’t. He wasn’t Daryl’s problem anymore.  
“Why do you care?”  
He repeats attempting to add in as much venom as he could. It's not a lot. “Because I care about you.”  
“Bullshit.”  
“Glenn I-“  
“No Daryl it is bullshit. You have never cared about me.”  
“I care more about you than you care about yourself”  
“So you fucking some bitch is how you care?” They had never talked about it, maybe that was part of the reason why we was still lamentating over it. “I didn’t know you were there”  
“You made eye contact, you smiled.” He could still see it vividly, meeting those brown eyes and the toothy grin as the slap of the motion resonated in the room.  
“This isn’t about me, this is about you.”  
“Don’t change the subject. Do you know how much that hurt me?” Glenn could feel the tears starting to stream down his face, he could tell he was being loud, he didn’t care.  
“About as much as you being used as live bait.”  
“Daryl don’t turn this around on me. Do you know how much I loved you? I don’t move in with just anyone, then you cheated on me and I left and I heard nothing.” Daryl opened his mouth to say something, but Glenn wouldn’t let him “ Nothing! I walked out of your life and you didn’t get me. Or reach out or anything. I had to couch surf for months! I wanted to marry you.” He was sobbing he could feel snot running down his nose. He had bottled this for so long. “So no you don’t get to say that you care about me, because if you had you would have talked to me. Would have brought me home. But. You. Didn’t” There was more he wanted to say, but couldn't and didn't it already hurt so bad. It would have been easier to let Daryl yell at him and than kiss those chapped lips, but it wouldn't have done either of them any good. “Glenn.” Daryl says Glenn doesn’t want to hear it and tries to push past Daryl.  
“You no longer live in my heart.” He spits, he doesn’t mean it and he knows that. But it feels good to say. If this was the normal world he would have gone to a bar and drink until he was sick and his standards were lowered. But this was an apocalypse so he went to go find someone to give him a task to put all his hurt out on. Lori taught him how to wash laundry by hand so she could comfort a grieving Carol.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment. It waters my crops and sails my ships

Glenn feels the warmth around him, entrapped, sweat glistening as bodies come crashing together and eager hands roam and tug at clothes. They are back at their Atlanta apartment the cheap mattress and flat pillows. The Rough skin of Daryl's fingers flicker over sensitive skin and it is all sensual and Glenn feels his body arch up into Daryl and he feels him and it is nice and everything that he misses as he throws his head back Daryl attacking his neck biting and it is ecstasy. Soon the scent of sex, Glenn's vanilla deodorant and Daryl's musk and cheap soap is replaced with something that is eerily familiar and he recognizes it on spot. Rot. Decay, This shocks him and he attempts to push Daryl off, except his hand sticks to his body, once covered in coarse hair and dry skin is smooth and slimy. Daryl looks at him, his face having been decayed and maggots filling holes in his skin. All covered in a green tinted sheen. And he smiles an almost toothless grin, a long trail of goo connects Daryl to Glenn's neck and he can feel the blood gushing from the missing chunk. Glenn could feel his mouth open but no sound came out.

In an instant he saw nothing but the bare popcorn ceiling, smelt nothing but mildew, felt nothing but the heavy heat. He touches his neck and it is all intact. He sighs in relief. He gets up from his cardboard thick bed leaving his threadbare blanket and toeing on his boots. The prison makes him uneasy and so does that group that isn't that far away. Honestly he isn't sure if he's ever not uneasy nowadays. He notices that certain things get easier and easier, things like killing the walkers, not eating as much not showering as much. He goes to the watchtower, these dreams have been plaguing on and off since they came to the prison all similar in nature. All fixative on Daryl and Glenn doesn't believe in dream interpretation. But nonetheless he just has to go and check.

Daryl isn't there, he hadn't expected him to be. You can't tell Daryl to sit still in one place except for when his life is on the line. Glenn goes and can see Daryl's shadow along the fence. Doing a quick perimeter check. Make sure that the fence is holding right. Glenn sits himself in the chair that is there for whoever is doing night watch. He watches him as he makes his rounds, usually he leaves when he sees Daryl head back inside but tonight he doesn't budge from his seat. They had been avoiding each other since the confrontation at the farm. Keeping their distance, which was getting a little easier to do. What since Rick had made Daryl his new right hand man after Shane died. He thought that had been unexpected, they only seemed to sort of get along. He knew that night had been busy and that there were a lot of things that he wasn't remembering or processing. Sophia's death, Daryl's confrontation, Shane's death, the horde of Zombie. But that was ancient history. Felt like years ago when in reality it wasn't that long ago.

Glenn had felt better after talking about what had happened so long ago, definitely didn't dwell on it like he had before. Maybe a proper breakup would help liberate him, maybe he would be able to move passed this. He doubt that he would ever find love in a world like this. No the world needed straight people. People who could and would be willing to make offspring. People like Rick and Lori. And there were other groups like them he was sure of it. He knew he couldn't help in that department. And that was fine. He was fine with. Maybe he would find an abandoned kid or something and raise that one if he was really torn up about it. But he needed to heal for his mind and for his soul. For himself. Although these nightmares, as ghoulish and horrifying as they seem to be has made him realize that he misses everything that come in a relationship. The sex, the cuddling, someone to hold him or to hold him, sleeping with someone, the inside jokes. He misses it. And he knows that he misses Daryl, but he wonders if that is just because of how close yet far he is from him.

He hears the squeak of the door the rest of the way, he had zoned out in thought and he is uncertain about how Daryl is going to react. Glenn looks out the window as Daryl's pulls a few crates and things to create a makeshift seat and plops down heavy on the seat. They look out the window for a second both hesitant to be the first to say something, anything really. There was a time, once long ago, where they could sit in silence and it was comfortable and Glenn could imagine them in their older years, comfortable. Alone together. Unlike anything he has ever had with anyone else. Right now though, there's a lot of tension and jumping through the window seems like a more viable option than waiting around for someone to talk.

"I'm sorry." Daryl was the first one to break the silence. Glenn misses his voice, it sounds like home and he can feel his will and worry dissolve. He wasn't ready for this, he should go before he gets to anxious and starts rambling. "It had been wrong of me to do, wrong of me to not at least talk to you afterwards." He continues and he can hear the consideration of what he is saying in his voice and it keeps them there. They both knew the root of all their problems. That one night.

"So why did you do it?" He asks, ready for an explanation. He had thought about it for a while, looked at it from all angles.

"I was scared, to commit to you like you wanted me to. I thought that if I could show you that you were replaceable that you wouldn't push things more."

"That's a shitty explanation Dixon." He bumps him with his shoulder and while it's playful, they both know Glenn is right. It was a shitty explanation and it didn't make sense. Ever since the beginning Daryl was the one to set the pace.

"I know I just thought that if I didn't let you get too close it wouldn't hurt as much when you would leave me for someone better. I was wrong the hurt was still great." Daryl doesn't usually show this much vulnerability very often. So Glenn knows that this is important to Daryl just as much as it is important to him. Glenn had know that Daryl was insecure about certain things. No one would have guessed, but when you met his family it makes more sense than originally thought.

"I wasn't going to leave you." Glenn says, like it is the most obvious thing ever, "I could have done better. I was young, broke, hot. But I wanted you. I've always wanted you, even now. Although truth be told I don't have a lot of options. But it's always been you. If I was going to leave I would have before than. Christ sake's we were moving in together. And it hurt seeing that. And then you smiled." He was rambling, but he didn't really care. "Jesus' fuck man. That's mad fucked up. You're mad fucked up. But you could argue that I'm the more fucked up one. Considering that I still want you." Daryl smiles at this and makes Glenn get up from his chair so he can have Glenn right in his lap. Glenn does move, but doesn't register it as he rambles a little bit. Daryl has actually timed Glenn's rambling before and it can span significantly from a minute or two to thirty minutes easy. Glenn is beautiful sitting up on Daryl's lap, he's dirty but Daryl supposes that it adds to his appeal. Daryl starts rubbing the small of Glenn's back and he knows he has no claim to Glenn Rhee. At least not in this moment. But it feels good to have his weight on him, to feels his heat and touch him again. He wants nothing but to lay Glenn down and kiss his smooth skin everywhere. Ravish the man that he is still in love with. That he has always been in love with.

"Glenn." He interrupts his rambling. He knows he done wrong. But he wants Glenn back. "I will make it up to you. Even if it takes me the rest of my life. I love you and if you will have me-"

"Of course" Glenn says, giving Daryl a kiss. And it is everything Daryl had missed. In a world of misery, pain and death this is a sweet moment in time. They don't know yet, but they are going to have happiness for a couple months, going to be married by Rick in the cafeteria in the dead of night with only Carl as witness. Glenn is going to take Daryl's last name and cry during the vows. There is going to be a lot of close calls and sweet moments. Daryl has no idea that before their first anniversary he will be a widower. Glenn has no idea the fate that is waiting for him, but tonight they have each other and that is all that matters to them in this moment. Is that fact that they can hold each other now. The day will come and it will approach fast. But bliss is ignorance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited. Mainly formatting and details for clarity. Also wasn't happy with the dialogue.


End file.
